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Best states for a principal systems analyst
Quoted expert
John Alpers
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for principal systems analysts? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for principal systems analyst jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.We wanted to look at the best states for principal systems analysts -- where there are plenty of principal systems analyst jobs to go around and principal systems analysts get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for principal systems analysts.Oregon is the best state, and Longview is the city with the highest pay for principal systems analysts.
10 best states for principal systems analysts in 2025
1. Oregon
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 1,370 Average annual salary: $133,031 Lowest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $172,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
2. Arizona
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 1,837 Average annual salary: $112,923 Lowest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
3. Washington
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 1,515 Average annual salary: $140,299 Lowest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $179,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
4. New York
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 3,576 Average annual salary: $116,958 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
5. Montana
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 305 Average annual salary: $109,431 Lowest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
6. Pennsylvania
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 2,897 Average annual salary: $109,555 Lowest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
7. West Virginia
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 276 Average annual salary: $116,742 Lowest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
8. Delaware
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 292 Average annual salary: $114,554 Lowest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
9. California
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 5,073 Average annual salary: $133,849 Lowest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $175,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
10. Alaska
Total principal systems analyst jobs: 221 Average annual salary: $109,032 Lowest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
Principal systems analyst jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a principal systems analyst
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a principal systems analyst
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $133,031 | $102,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,370 |
| 2 | Arizona | $112,923 | $87,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,837 |
| 3 | Washington | $140,299 | $109,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,515 |
| 4 | New York | $116,958 | $94,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,576 |
| 5 | Montana | $109,431 | $87,000 | 1,050,493 | 305 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $109,555 | $88,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,897 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $116,742 | $93,000 | 1,815,857 | 276 |
| 8 | Delaware | $114,554 | $91,000 | 961,939 | 292 |
| 9 | California | $133,849 | $102,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,073 |
| 10 | Alaska | $109,032 | $92,000 | 739,795 | 221 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $113,132 | $90,000 | 693,972 | 775 |
| 12 | Georgia | $108,829 | $86,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,226 |
| 13 | Nevada | $105,972 | $81,000 | 2,998,039 | 524 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $104,378 | $85,000 | 1,342,795 | 488 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $113,155 | $89,000 | 4,684,333 | 422 |
| 16 | Maryland | $109,768 | $87,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,909 |
| 17 | Texas | $102,508 | $80,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,445 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $103,905 | $84,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,789 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $111,887 | $90,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,475 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $105,817 | $85,000 | 3,588,184 | 870 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $100,403 | $78,000 | 2,088,070 | 548 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $101,680 | $81,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,059 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $100,947 | $83,000 | 755,393 | 212 |
| 24 | Iowa | $103,539 | $83,000 | 3,145,711 | 582 |
| 25 | Alabama | $102,327 | $81,000 | 4,874,747 | 737 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $104,035 | $82,000 | 3,930,864 | 445 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $102,348 | $82,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,068 |
| 28 | Ohio | $99,939 | $80,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,168 |
| 29 | Florida | $99,832 | $79,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,120 |
| 30 | Utah | $100,940 | $78,000 | 3,101,833 | 556 |
| 31 | Colorado | $100,871 | $79,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,501 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $97,363 | $77,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,507 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | $99,607 | $81,000 | 1,059,639 | 255 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $103,209 | $84,000 | 1,427,538 | 206 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $96,660 | $76,000 | 579,315 | 149 |
| 36 | Illinois | $98,885 | $79,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,148 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $96,074 | $76,000 | 3,004,279 | 524 |
| 38 | Idaho | $97,352 | $75,000 | 1,716,943 | 405 |
| 39 | Michigan | $97,262 | $78,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,434 |
| 40 | Vermont | $99,222 | $81,000 | 623,657 | 158 |
| 41 | Virginia | $92,303 | $74,000 | 8,470,020 | 3,604 |
| 42 | Massachusetts | $100,945 | $82,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,586 |
| 43 | Kansas | $93,051 | $74,000 | 2,913,123 | 664 |
| 44 | Maine | $97,150 | $80,000 | 1,335,907 | 214 |
| 45 | Missouri | $92,816 | $74,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,193 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $91,227 | $73,000 | 869,666 | 197 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $90,704 | $72,000 | 4,454,189 | 632 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $86,269 | $69,000 | 1,920,076 | 544 |
| 49 | Indiana | $89,803 | $72,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,064 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $89,858 | $71,000 | 2,984,100 | 307 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $88,839 | $70,000 | 5,024,369 | 780 |
Highest paying states for principal systems analysts
| Rank | State | Avg. Principal Systems Analyst Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $133,031 |
| 2 | Arizona | $112,923 |
| 3 | Washington | $140,299 |
| 4 | New York | $116,958 |
| 5 | Montana | $109,431 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $109,555 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $116,742 |
| 8 | Delaware | $114,554 |
| 9 | California | $133,849 |
| 10 | Alaska | $109,032 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $113,132 |
| 12 | Georgia | $108,829 |
| 13 | Nevada | $105,972 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $104,378 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $113,155 |
| 16 | Maryland | $109,768 |
| 17 | Texas | $102,508 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $103,905 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $111,887 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $105,817 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $100,403 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $101,680 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $100,947 |
| 24 | Iowa | $103,539 |
| 25 | Alabama | $102,327 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $104,035 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $102,348 |
| 28 | Ohio | $99,939 |
| 29 | Florida | $99,832 |
| 30 | Utah | $100,940 |
| 31 | Colorado | $100,871 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $97,363 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | $99,607 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $103,209 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $96,660 |
| 36 | Illinois | $98,885 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $96,074 |
| 38 | Idaho | $97,352 |
| 39 | Michigan | $97,262 |
| 40 | Vermont | $99,222 |
| 41 | Virginia | $92,303 |
| 42 | Massachusetts | $100,945 |
| 43 | Kansas | $93,051 |
| 44 | Maine | $97,150 |
| 45 | Missouri | $92,816 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $91,227 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $90,704 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $86,269 |
| 49 | Indiana | $89,803 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $89,858 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $88,839 |
Expert opinions on the best states for principal systems analysts
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for principal systems analysts to find work opportunities?
John Alpers
Assistant Professor of Business, Carson-Newman University
In my opinion, technical careers will continue to grow and flourish. Some of these skills can be taught virtually, but not all. I think anyone who can parlay this new environment and find a way to create value for an organization will be in demand.
Principal systems analyst best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025